Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Sweet Potatoes Vs. Yams

Honestly, I don't really know what a yam is. I've read (thank you, Wikipedia) that the sweet potato is not even related to the yam, even though Americans tend to use the names interchangably. I've never even seen a yam in the grocery store. When a recipe calls for yams, I use sweet potatoes — like in this dish, Farmhouse Chedda and Yam Soup from The Uncheese Cookbook:

I'm not sure how it would have tasted with actual yams, but it was delectable made with sweet potatoes. Remember that Campbell's condensed cheese soup in a can? I used to be obsessed with that stuff when I was a kid. This is kind of like that, only with far more complex flavors and none of that funky processed canned soup crap.

It's made with yams (or sweet potatoes), nooch, carrots, onions, and green pepper. But everything is pureeed, so the veggie flavors meld together and get all creamy. This was perfect for a cold winter night, served alongside crusty whole wheat garlic bread and a salad with vegan ranch and faux bacon bits.

I don't know anything about sweet potatoes and yams, so I'll stick with the occasional sweet potatoes (very expensive and not local!). The soup sounds great, I've been thinking about buying that book for a long time...

we do use the terms interchangably. it's weird! but there is a bit of a taste difference. i find yams to be just a little less sweet than sweet potatoes. and i only see yams for about a month or two in the fall at my natural food store, then it's back to sweet potatoes. both are super tasty though! the chedda & yam soup looks soooo super creamy & tasty, Bianca! what a great way to stay warm! your whole wheat garlic bread 'n salad look like perfect sides, too. mmmmmmm!

You know, I used to buy these things that were called "garnet yams" last year, then, when looking around on the internet I found out that those might not technically be yams, they are a variety of sweet potato. Something about a "real" yam being called a Tropical Yam, and they are dark skinned with white insides, or something like that. I got really confused somewhere along the way and decided that it wasn't important. I love sweet potatoes, or yams, or whatver those things that look like potatoes with orange flesh are called. :-)

Here's more fuel for the confusion: here in France we get 'patates douces' which are generally huge (like, longer than a big banana and similar in shape to an American football). They are imported for Africa, and they are technically yams, but their name means sweet potato! Who cares? Let's have soup!

I've never known what the difference is between the two. All I know is that your soup looks so good and "restauranty"! May I have a bowl, please? (I am giving you the most pathetic little puppy eyes ever)

Keep the sweet potato recipes coming! Every time I look at the Uncheese cookbook I know I should buy a copy, and still haven't. I'm confused by yams too - I thought they were the same thing as sweet potatoes, like how yucca has different names all over. So much to learn!

My name is Bianca ...

About Me

I'm an 11-year vegan, 21-year vegetarian from the Mid-South, not too far from the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. And that means cornbread, butter beans, and collard greens.
These days, I live in Memphis. Check out my cookbook — Cookin' Crunk. It's filled with yummilicious veganized soul food and country classics.